World's End Tavern

[Sephyria Xionysis]

Josiah blinked his hazel eyes several times, doing what he could to adjust them to the dim lighting of the backwater tavern. Had the lighting not already been so cruddy, he was sure he'd not fair any better seeing from the thick layer of smoke that hung like a cloudy haze in the air.

He ignored the inquisitive gazes that fell upon his grey-toned flesh that probably seemed an almost ghastly white underneath the artificial light as he came straight up to the bar itself. Taking a seat on one of the worn and tattered barstools, he pounded the side of his fist against the tarnished faux-wood graining of the counter. He wasn't new here and his action caused a cool and frothy alcoholic beverage to be slid his way.

Reaching into his pocket, he flicked a black card towards the barkeep who promptly took it towards the back.

[Carthlover64]

Laemara wasn't sure how she'd found her way to this god-awful place, but then again, wasn't surprised that this was where she'd ended up. Her luck was just that bad. Didn't matter what she did these days, Fate seemed to be against her, still bitter about her going against it last month. Figures. She knew Fate had to be feminine, because its fury at being scorn was enough to match that of a woman's.

Moving through the crowd, she hid behind a curtain of messy blonde hair, two hazy grey eyes peeking through enough to see where she was going. She avoided bumping into anyone, knowing that was a sure way to provoke Fate into screwing her over again. Perhaps even literally, considering the propriety (or lack thereof) of this place. How she kept finding herself deeper and deeper into trouble was beyond her...but at least she'd managed to keep herself intact this long. That was the most she could ask for, she supposed.

Mozying up to the bar, she slid onto one of the bar stools, making eye contact with no one. She was invisible as long as she didn't do anything to draw attention to herself.

Looking up and seeing the variety of drinks, she realized how parched she was. Hell yeah she wanted a drink, wanted to drown all those sorrows that had built up over the past month...but that wouldn't do. Fate would take advantage of her then in the form of some douchebag looking to get a hit off of a nice, young woman. Oh no, no way was she going to be that woman. Not tonight, thank you very much.

So she remained silent, staring ahead as if willing one of the non-alcoholic drinks towards her.

[Sephyria Xionysis]

The Obsidian card came back to him with an easy flick of the barkeep's wrist and Josiah reached up absently catching it midair before placing it back into his pocket. He drank slowly, keeping to himself for a bit, a glossiness appearing at nearly invisible flaps behind either of his jawbones near his ears, though no one would notice lest they looked at him.

Wasn't his fault the air was so damn dry in here.

The female hadn't gone unnoticed to him as she was only a couple chairs over, and the way she sat almost screamed to him that she wanted to be left alone. A faint smirk appeared on his lips as he brought a hand up to rub at the reddish-brown tuft of hair at his chin. Perhaps the night had smiled on him after all.

"If yer lookin' ta hide, ya came to the wrong place, lassie." He spoke giving no indication at all that he was speaking to her outside of the fact that there were no other women around for him to address.

[Carthlover64]

Resisting the urge to snort, and make some sort of retort to the man whom had not-so-clearly-but-still-quite-clearly spoken to her, Laemara kept her eyes trained ahead. Better to not engage in ceaseless banter, it would accomplish nothing and, moreover, would just encourage him. She wasn't hear to talk (or drink, sadly), she was hear for a quick meal, some information, and that was it. In, out, on with her life...as craptastic as it was proving to be.

"Could I get something to eat, please?" she inquired, her manners an inherited trait from living in slavery for so long. Here, she didn't have to ask though...She was the customer, by golly, she could demand food and good service!

Still. It wouldn't hurt to stay on the bartender's good side. Just in case.

"What can I get you, pretty lady?" asked the altogether greasy bartender.

"Whatever you're serving is fine."

"And how do you intend to pay?"

She blinked. Pay? Well. Huh. That was new. Before, she'd just been given meals as her wages. And since being on the run, she'd just stolen what she'd needed to survive. She'd been planning on doing the same thing here but the blasted bartender wanted her to pay in advance. How inconvenient.

"Nevermind," she mumbled. "Can I assume that information, at least, is free?"

"Everything has a price, sweetheart, sorry," he said before bustling off.

Laemara had to bite her tongue to keep from cursing him out.

[Sephyria Xionysis]

A small fluffy cat hopped up on the counter next to the newcomer, its thick fur coat the color of sand with the exception of tiny black stripes at the tips of its tail and the entirety of its ears. With a great stretch and a yawn worthy of a mountain lion, it set its eyes on the bartender. ~Go get the girl a sandwich. Tomei won't say anything to me about it.~

The sound may not have come from moving lips, but it very clearly came from this tiny furball that next set its sights on Josiah. ~And you know her personal feelings about you, Josiah, so mind your tongue. This isn't like how things are back home, your military rank means nothing here.~

Finally her crimson eyes set on the girl as she plopped down before her and began licking a paw to primp the fur about her face. ~My apologies, Miss. Nirvana Jordison... I trust they haven't hastled you /too/ badly?~

Josiah eyed the strange cat for a long moment before taking another drink. "With all the meddling you do, we'd be lucky to have time... snitch."

[Carthlover64]

Laemara blinked. Did that cat just talk to her? She must be hallucinating...Cats didn't talk. Period. Maybe she was hungrier and thirstier than she thought; probably a good thing she didn't have that drink after all. She was already losing it without the aid of alcohol. Apparently. Because, really. That freaking cat just talked to her!

"I'm sorry, did you--?" She stopped herself, instead turning to the borderline translucent man on her right. "Is this your cat?" she asked.

"You must be new here," said another voice, scaring the daylights out of her. Turning her head, she took in the sight of a slender, dark-haired man. In fact, almost everything about him reeked dark--from his sunk-in cheeks to sallow skin colour, he looked unhealthy in his slimness. And his eyes were dark, the colour of night...matching his short hair, well-maintained unlike the rest of his body. "That's Nirvana, she's a Neko Chan."

She blinked, unsure of how to respond. What was a Neko Chan? Better yet, who were these people that seemed to act as though it was nothing that a cat could communicate as this one just did?

He garbled out a strangled laugh. "That's just her anthro form. She's more fun in it, anyway, I think." He winked at the cat in a creepy way...at least creepy to Laemara. "I'm Tuçon, by the way."

[Sephyria Xionysis]

The cat hops off the bar and onto the stool beside her, her form beginning to glow with a bright white light. Growing, it became the size of a young woman, probably about 5'2", the fur still covering her though not nearly as thickly. Almost as if it were just an additional layer of flesh. Long red locks fell down her shoulders in a very unkempt manner and it would be anyones guess if she were wearing anything under the loudly colored bowling shirt that was a big as a nightgown.

"Come now, Tuçon. I know I'm not much of a looker in this form..." She began, now very clearly talking from her mouth. She leaned over the bar and poured herself a glass of buttermilk. "But I can be just as much fun in this form as any." Nirvana absently tugged at the collar around her neck, a worn old collar with a box on it. Could it have once been used to shock her?

Josiah finished off his drink and had another brought to him, the buzz not touching him just yet. He secreted another layer of slime over those slits of his, his gills, and sighed. "Sure, as about much fun as I'm sure that Saiyajin had blowing up your planet"

Nirvana shot a glare at him for a moment, a tinge of hurt behind her crimson eyes before turning away from him. "Spoken with true ignorance as always."